Stalked
by shannyfish
Summary: Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.
1. Pictures

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 1 "Pictures"

**Author's Notes: **And…this is the last finale spin-off story to be released.

……………………………

The sun was high in the sky over Miami Beach, drenching the sand below in its hot rays. The tan sands soaked it up, raising the heat that they carried as the day continued along. Yellow police tape separated the on looking crowd from the body. The police line was set down near the water; the body was just far enough that at high tide, the water would have still missed the body. Officers kept the on lookers back, while CSIs and others poured into the crime scene to start processing it.

Calleigh was the first CSI on the scene; she was already taking mental notes as she got her camera ready. The victim was in her mid to late twenties, blonde hair, and light eyes. She was dressed in clothes that told Calleigh that the woman most likely came from a nearby club. The turquoise dress was highlighted with the bloodstains that encircled the stab wounds all to the abdomen. They had to wait for Alexx, though, before they could touch the body. She knew, though, that if the woman had been to a club that she'd need ID, so hopefully there was one somewhere on the body.

Eric walked up behind Calleigh and took in the scene. "Why is it that most of our victims seem to be beautiful women?" he asked kneeling down besides Calleigh.

"I dunno, maybe because beautiful women flock to Miami? At least Miami Beach…" Calleigh said. "Nothing shouts out of town to me right off hand…"

"We think she was in a club last night?"

"That's what I was thinkin'."

"She could have a stamp…"

"And neither of you are going to find anything out about her until you get out of my way," Alexx said teasingly with a bright smile as she headed towards the body with her kit in hand.

"We were just making observations," Calleigh defended as she stood up straight and looked over to their friend.

"Sure you were, Honey," she continued to tease. "I know how curious you can be." Alexx kneeled down next to the body in the sand and started to examine the woman. "Poor baby… I hate seeing young people ending up on my table…" She went quiet and continued to examine. "It looks like the stab wounds were the only injury inflicted on her." Alexx tried to lift the body a bit and was surprised at what she found. "No blood pool…she must have been killed somewhere else and dumped here."

Calleigh frowned, "So this isn't our primary crime scene."

"And all footprint evidence has likely been obliterated from the first witnesses and the officers that first arrived on scene. Sand isn't the best workable surface anyways," Eric said sighing.

Calleigh looked around for something to help them and knew that she and Eric would end up shifting through sand hoping to find something to help link their victim to her killer. She noticed Horatio talking with Frank not too far away. "Alexx? Did you find an ID on her?"

"Just found it," Alexx reported holding up what she'd located in the victim's bra, it was a place that women who didn't have pockets tended to hide things. She had found a thin, purple Razr phone, an ATM/Check card, and a Florida Driver's License. "Her name's Kathryn Memorilly and her ID is for Florida."

"So, she's a resident. At least we can start there," Calleigh said cheerfully.

Alexx heard an irritating noise and looked over her shoulder and then shook her head at the people with cameras. "People have no respect for the dead…" she said sadly and looked back over at Calleigh who was kneeling on the other side of the body. "We're goin' need tox results, too, Alexx."

"I got it, Honey." Alexx was about to motion for the body to be bagged and taken away when her eye caught something. The dress was bunched up in the middle. She straightened up the cloth and noticed that the dress was sliced cleanly open at the abdomen. She used her gloved hands to pull apart the opening a bit to discover a wound she hadn't caught before. In the shape of a Y was a wound that Alexx could tell for certain was made after the woman had died. "Look at this. Definitely post mortem. Have any idea what the Y stands for?"

Calleigh stared at it and then looked back up at Alexx, "No idea…but that's definitely some kind of sign. Whoever did this is trying to tell us something."

"We've got to find the original crime scene, Calleigh," Eric said.

Alexx looked the woman over again and caught more signs that could possibly help them once she got the victim back to the morgue. "Looks like defensive wounds. She may have clawed her killer. There could be DNA under the fingernails." She looked to her friends, "I'll let you know."

………………………………..

"Hi there, Mrs. Delaroy, are you picking up or dropping off today?" he asked.

Mrs. Delaroy was a petite elder woman complete with a cane. She had grey hair that was swept up and back into a bun. She wore an old fashioned dress and black rimmed glasses. "I'm here to pick up today."

"Oh, that's right. You dropped off pictures of the grandkids, didn't you?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she responded with a proud smile. "Thomas is getting so big!"

"You have a great day!" he told her as he handed over the bundle of pictures. "I'll see you next week."

"I'll pay you then."

"You're always good for it, Mrs. Delaroy." He waited for her to leave the store before turning around and picking up the stack of photos that were behind him on the conveyer belt. The pictures had just finished printed before Mrs. Delaroy had come in and had moved right on over to make room for the next order of pictures to be printed, so that they would be printed on time.

Turning, he smiled and looked down at the pictures in his hands. On the top of the stack was a picture of a woman, up close, zoomed in on her face. Light skin enhanced by bright green sparkling eyes and blonde hair framing the face. There was a bright smile firmly planted on the face, which just made him smile more before dropping back into his back supply room and shutting the door behind him.

………………………

TBC…


	2. Connection

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 2 "Connection"

**Author's Notes: **Three days until this story needs to be done!!! I shall conquer the deadline!

……………………

The trip out to the 'Glades was a lot more difficult than Calleigh had thought, but that was mainly due to the fact that she'd been on a scene in Miami Beach originally and the traffic on the causeway wasn't helping her. As she pulled up behind an already parked Hummer, she noted all the other vehicles. Alexx's van was even already there. She was the last one on the scene.

Once she was out, she pulled her kit from the back and secured her vehicle before heading for the scene. It was a shelter off the side of a dirt road in the 'Glades. It was something that was easily hidden, Calleigh noticed quickly as she approached the line of officers. She smiled when she saw Horatio, "Hey, sorry I took so long, back-up on the causeway."

Horatio smiled, "I know, I called and they told me that there was an accident on the causeway." He guided her towards the shelter, "We think this murder is linked with the one from the other day."

"Which one?"

"The one from the beach."

Calleigh smiled, "You'll have to be more specific, Horatio."

"Our victim has a Y carved in her abdomen area as well," Horatio explained.

"Has Alexx verified post mortem yet?" Calleigh asked.

"Yes," Horatio confirmed.

"We didn't release that detail to the press, right?" Calleigh questioned not remembering for sure, but figuring that such a unique detail would be kept out of the press.

"No."

When they entered the shelter, Natalia and Alexx were near the body. Calleigh noticed that Eric was outside photographing the area. She stepped in right behind Alexx and looked down at the victim. It was another young woman, blonde with blue eyes. The eyes looked icy and hallow. She looked down at Alexx, "Same stabbing?" she asked and Alexx moved the woman's shirt up, so that Calleigh could see for herself.

"Poor thing's only twenty-five…" Alexx said in a motherly tone. "Beautiful girl."

"Do we have a name?" Calleigh asked.

"Adrienne Morris," Natalia filled in. "She's from Georgia."

Calleigh frowned and nodded as she gloved up. She'd help Natalia process the shelter area. She looked over and noticed that Horatio had gone back outside. "We could have a serial killer on our hands," Calleigh said quietly.

………………..

It was his lunch break, and he'd put the sign up in the window for people. They could drop off their film in the slot for him to process and he'd open the doors again in an hour. The machine was still printing pictures, but he was in the back room. It was mainly a supply closet. There were racks filled with different types of papers that were rolled in brown inner lined paper bags, boxes with packaging supplies, and chemicals. There was a sink area and a small table with one chair. Once the door was closed, his bulletin board came into view. Pictures adorned it, effectively blocking out the cork board. All of the pictures were of blonde women. He smiled as he pinned up a new picture. His newest interest, a blonde woman with green eyes who was crouching down sifting sand.

"You'll be mine soon enough…"

His hand reached up and caressed the picture as he stared at his trophy board.

…………………………..

"Did we come up with anything?" Natalia asked as she entered Calleigh's lab.

"I'm not quite sure," she admitted. "I haven't found a match in any other counties in Florida or so far in any other state that matches the signature of our killer. Dan did Google the Y, and he found something interesting, though I'm not sure it applies." She brought up an article from a newspaper from a few decades back that talked about how they did studies about an extra Y chromosome and how they called it the 'violent gene'. Studies were done, but nothing was ever proved. Those with an extra Y have an XYY chromosome set.

"Wow," Natalia said after reading the article in front of her.

"There's no scientific proof for it, but it was a big deal it seems at the time."

…………………

TBC…


	3. Can You Handle it?

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 3 "Can You Handle it?"

**Author's Notes: **One and a half days left!!!

…………………

The dim blue lights were all that lit the black tiled bathroom. Even the stalls were covered in the shiny black tiles. Many of them had some kind of inscription of a name and phone number or some comment written in a silver paint pen. Silver paint pens were attached via elastic cords all around the bathroom. It was part of the whole design of the bathroom. But the calming blue lights did nothing to calm the atmosphere in the rarely used handicap stall at the end of the row of stalls. Across the floor on her stomach was a blonde young woman with people hovering over her.

Eric and Natalia had already started to process the scene. Eric had started his enormous task of fingerprinting the whole woman's bathroom including the door handle on the outside of the door. It was something he thought was going to take him well into the next shift. It was eleven in the evening, the body had been found shortly after the club had opened. Apparently there were quite a lot of bodies being found all over the city, so nightshift had decided to call in dayshift for an early start.

Natalia took her time carefully snapping shots at different angles and wondering when the medical examiner would arrive. It didn't help to figure out what had happened without being able to look over the body. But she couldn't touch until Alexx arrived. She shuffled around the pool of blood and snapped a few more shots.

………………..

Rubbing her eyes, she made her way slowly through the held club goers. She knew why, it was simple enough. Any one of the clubbers could be their suspect or could have seen, heard, smelt, or even felt something that could help them… She could see the top of her target, red hair…Horatio Caine. She pushed the rest of the way through the crowd, when she stopped just short of getting all the way through. Her mind had deviated to another thought. She'd seen a face, one that she remembered. Where did she remember the man from?

Frank had seen Calleigh and had heard her southern accent asking to be excused as she made her way towards the scene, he nodded in her direction. But then made a face when she turned in the crowd. "Where's Calleigh going?" Frank asked seeing her a few people into the crowd with her back to them.

"I'm not sure, Frank," Horatio said and turned. He could barely make out Calleigh.

It hit her like a hurricane touching down on solid ground. Miami Beach. She'd seen him in the crowd at the first crime scene. She turned and headed directly for Horatio and Frank, who were waiting expectantly for her. "Frank, I need you to take someone into custody."

"Who? And what for?" he asked scanning the crowd.

"There's a guy I thought was familiar and then I realized why. He was at the beach when we discovered the first body with the Y." She looked directly at Frank, "He's the one in the mismatched shirt. The blue plaid. No one wears plaid in Miami unless it's suddenly become a new fashion trend or—"

"Tourist," Horatio said with a smile.

"Exactly."

Frank spotted the offending fashion in the crowd and looked over at two of his officers, giving them a slight nod to tell them he needed them. They headed into the crowd to pursue the man Calleigh had pointed out.

Horatio looked over to Calleigh, she was fixed on Frank and his officers. "I want you to take over, Calleigh."

"What?" Calleigh asked. She hadn't been exactly listening to him, "Take…over?" she pieced together.

He smiled, "Yes, I'll head back to the lab with Frank…see if this guy's connected in any way."

"Alright," she said with a nod. She smiled a bit when Frank and his men cuffed the man and pulled him from the formed crowd.

"Can you handle it?" Horatio asked. Normally, he wouldn't ask such an obviously stupid question, but they were all tired and stretched thin. He found that he was starting to feel the fatigue hitting him.

Calleigh gave him a bright smile and then responded with a bright tone, "Of course I can. I'll keep you posted it."

He couldn't tell if she was forcing the awakeness and general brightness in her manner, but figured that he'd hear it in her voice later if she was as fatigued as he was. "Thank you, Ma'am," he said before heading back out through the crowd.

……………………

TBC…


	4. Wrong Way

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 4 "Wrong Way"

**Author's Notes: **Last Day!!!

……………………

"Tell me, why did you run if you have no involvement?" Tripp asked.

The man shrugged, "Natural reaction to being chased. That's what you were doing, so I ran."

"So, are you denyin' you were at Miami Beach the other day watchin' us process a crime scene?"

"No."

"And you were there today at the club?"

"Yes."

"So, what are you tellin' me? Cuz right now things aren't lookin' too good for you."

The man shrugged again, "Wrong place, wrong time."

Frank just shook his head and got up from the table and carefully removed the empty soda can from the table. He was trying to be careful not to compromise any fingerprints, "I'll get'cha a new one." He headed out, not with the intention of getting the guy a soda, but rather to talk to Horatio.

Horatio had been watching the man from behind the glass. He was convinced that he had some kind of involvement in the murders. Once Frank was in with him, he turned his head in his direction, "What do you think, Frank?"

"There's something hinky about him, I'm just not sure what," Frank responded and set the can down for Horatio.

He looked down at the can with an amused smile, "A present for Valera."

"Tell her I'm sorry it's not gift wrapped."

…………………

Valera stared at the can and then Horatio, "Okay, I know I don't NEED to understand, but I'd like to. Why are we running his DNA and fingerprints if we don't have any evidence from the crime scenes?"

"Just to have it on hand," Horatio told her.

"Ah."

"He'll slip up eventually," Horatio told her. "And I want to be ready."

"Well, no hits in CODUS. You might want to check in with Eric for the fingerprints."

"Will do."

………………….

Horatio and Frank were staring into the interrogation room where the man was. There had been another murder, and Alexx was putting the time of death only an hour ago. Which meant, their guy…wasn't their guy. "Same MO it looks like," Horatio told him.

"We're goin' have to release him, aren't we?"

"I'm afraid so, but we will know where to find him," Horatio said.

…………………

TBC…


	5. Targets

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 5 "Targets"

**Author's Notes: **Alright, so I obviously didn't make my deadline…there was an emergency at my mom's work, so I ended up watching little monsters and chasing my littlest brother around playing dinosaurs. Plus, I sorta hurt my hand at work, so uh yeah…

………………………

They'd released their suspect, unable to keep him there for any reason that linked him to the murders besides that he was in two of the places the crime scenes were. Eric and Calleigh hadn't left yet, although their respective labs had been commandeered by the night shift CSIs. They'd moved to the layout room to take a final look at the evidence. The pictures and folders for each of the four victims were laid out. Eric and Calleigh stepped back and examined the evidence in front of them. "So, what connects them?" Eric asked.

Calleigh stared at the pictures and then stepped forward, "Maybe the better question is: which is not the same?" she suggested. The blondes were all the first three victims."

He caught on to what Calleigh was getting to. "Right and the fourth victim has brown hair. She was killed while we had that suspect in custody. So, maybe someone killed the last girl to throw us off of him."

"Right," Calleigh said. "The hair color, their light eyes, and age is the only think linking the first three."

"Are we sure?" Eric asked.

"Victim number one is blonde with blue eyes, twenty five, a waitress, and her roommate said she was at a club the night before. Victim number two is blonde, green eyes, twenty seven, a student at Dade University, and we aren't sure why we found her so far out in the 'Glades. Victim number three is blonde, blue eyes, twenty four, preschool teacher, and she'd been at the club with other teachers. Victim number four is brunette with brown eyes, thirty six, mother two, and she was killed at home while her boys were napping."

"But they all had the same Y, didn't they?" Eric asked.

"Could be a copy cat…or just someone that wanted our suspect to look innocent," Calleigh said.

"The fourth victim," Horatio spoke up from behind the younger CSIs. "The Y was carved differently."

"How so?" Calleigh asked turning to Horatio.

Horatio looked at them both, "The tear goes in a different direction."

"So, they're not all connected," Eric said.

"At least not the fourth," Horatio confirmed.

"So the next question is: are there two people involved in the murders or is there just a copy cat out there?" Calleigh asked.

……………………..

"So, I'll walk you to your car?" Eric offered.

Calleigh smiled, "Such the gentleman…how could I resist such an offer?"

Eric smiled, "Good, let's go then. Horatio already left… Night shift might report us for taking so long to leave."

"At least we have something to sleep on," Calleigh told him as she picked up her purse and things. "I still think that it's someone covering for our suspect… Or else we would have caught the fact that the Y would have different tears."

"But only the last one does."

"Right."

They walked towards the elevator and when they finally made it there, Calleigh pressed the button to call the elevator. "I'm hungry; you want to get somethin' real quick?"

Eric smiled, "And what's still open this late?"

"I'm sure there's a twenty-four hour…something…"

"I know of a McDonalds," Eric told her.

Calleigh smiled, "I don't know the last time I've had McDonalds…"

"We could order through the drive-thru, park, and then sit in one of the cars and eat together," Eric told her. At least then it would be more like dinner rather than food on the go.

"Sounds like a plan," she told him as the elevator dinged.

"Delko! Wait up!"

Eric stepped out of the elevator to meet the night shift CSI who was calling him, he turned and saw the elevator starting to close, "Hit the button, Cal!" Eric told her. He didn't want her going down to the garage on her own that late at night.

"I'll just meet you down there!" Calleigh told him giggling as she tried to stop the elevator, but was useless.

………………………..

Calleigh stepped out into the lit cement parking garage that serviced the whole police department, including the crime lab. She headed in the direction she had parked her car, her keys out at the ready (not just to open her car, though). It was something she'd been taught at a women's self defense class once. Keys could come in very handy as a weapon. She kept her eyes open and kept them roaming as she crossed the half empty lot. She made it to her car just fine and inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Getting in, she was about to pull the door closed with her free hand when the car parked behind her suddenly sped forward and collided with her.

She groaned as she pulled her head up from the steering wheel. She could see blood on the wheel and on the windshield. Looking back, she saw the car backing up. "Eric," she whispered and looked towards the door she'd come from. She could make it. Though her car was crumpled up against the cement column, her door was still open and her keys were still firmly in her hand. Pulling breath in, she got out of the car, but stopped when her head started to spin with a force. She reached out to try to steady herself using the cement column her car was imbedded in. Calleigh looked over and saw that the other vehicle's door started to open; she looked at the column and saw that her own blood was on the column.

"It's going to be fine, Calleigh."

She had a feeling that the voice was supposed to be soothing, but it wasn't. She couldn't see her attacker, which made her feel the need to try to flee. The lights on his vehicle were too bright and blaring her way. She pushed herself from the pillar and made a run for the door. She didn't make it very far before one of her heels broke and she went falling to the ground. She could feel her palms being scraped and the keys digging into her tender palms as well, but kicked off her heels off before she pushed herself up. Calleigh dropped her car keys after she hit the alarm button. Her car's alarm echoed throughout the cement structure. But the alarm wasn't the only noise Calleigh heard. The car had been put back into gear and was coming after her. She looked back, just in time to see the car heading for her. The breaks were put into gear, and Calleigh fell forward into the hood and then rolled off to the right of it. Her eyes were closed, but she could hear the ding of the door left open followed by footsteps.

……………………..

TBC…


	6. Ghost

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 6 "Ghost"

**Author's Notes: **okay, so after two weeks I'm finally betterish, but I'm going to be away in Laughlin until Sunday or so…so I don't know if I'll have internet there or not… So, I'm going to try to type up the chapters I have written down before I leave and possibly send out the first chapter of one of the other stories. All the upcoming story summaries and banners are posted on my CBS Wiki profile (shannyfish). I have made a couple new music videos including a trailer for the whole American Family Series on youtube (shannyfish).

……………………

The sound of his ring tone pulled Horatio quickly from sleep to his hand searching for his cell on the nightstand. Horatio immediately opened it and pulled it to his ear, "Horatio." He tried to keep his voice as awake and calm as possible. He forced his eyes open and then to the nightstand. The clock's blaring red numbers stared back at him. It was two a.m.

((H, we have a problem.))

Eric Delko's voice sounded strained and urgent. "What is it, Eric?"

((Someone's taken Calleigh.))

"Where are you, Eric?" Horatio asked getting out of bed and pulling on the clothes he had dropped to the floor only a couple hours before.

((Parking structure.))

"I'm coming, Eric."

((It's my fault, H. I told her I'd walk her to her car and I got pulled away by one of the nightshift techs.))

"We both know Calleigh can take care of herself. It's not your fault, Eric. We're going to find her. I'll be there in ten."

Horatio knew that they couldn't place blame; it would only enable and build guilt. Guilt would only slow them down. Whenever a CSI or any form of law enforcement was taken, targeted, or killed it was always in response to something. They'd been working on countless cases, and Horatio knew that wouldn't help with the search. They could be looking for someone they caught, a family member of a victim, or even someone they sent away to jail who had been newly released.

………………..

He took longer to arrive at the lab. He'd been forced to make a pot of coffee and drink half the pot before leaving. He'd had no more than four hours of sleep in the last forty-eight hours and his body was resisting consciousness. By the time he found a place to park and made it to the structure it was already a quarter to three. He immediately saw a crime scene. He knew he should see it as Calleigh's car, Calleigh's blood, her broken hell, her car keys, her shoes…but he didn't. "Have the tapes been pulled from the cameras, yet?" Horatio asked in a loud commanding voice as if taking over command of the scene suddenly. His eyes briefly met with the nightshift supervisor's.

"Caine," he spoke up, "You and your people shouldn't be working this."

It sounded like an order to him, but Horatio merely smiled. "You don't honestly think my people and I are going to stand down and give the case to you guys."

"It's _OUR_ case."

"It's our _CSI_," Horatio argued, "And that means her case links to one of ours."

"Look, I've already put out a bulletin for her," he told Caine. "As soon as we get plates and a vehicle description, we'll broadcast that."

"Calleigh is—"

"Just hope the guy was stupid enough to leave evidence and that he's in the system or that he's on the cameras." The nightshift supervisor shook his head, "Oh, and I've already allowed Delko to help with processing." He looked back at Horatio, "And for the record, I wouldn't be able to stay away either if it involved one of my CSIs."

Horatio nodded, "Thank you." It was nice to know that they were all on the same page, but at the same time he knew dayshift would be under observation throughout their processing. They were all close to Calleigh. Horatio wouldn't be surprised if some of the nightshift saw Calleigh's disappearance as personal. Calleigh tended to stay at the lab at all hours. He knew on occasion he'd find her the next morning in the break room fast sleep on the couch. He smiled a bit thinking about it.

……………….

"We should call everyone in," Horatio spoke up awhile later. He was getting anxious. They'd been informed of the series of events, but the car that took her had no visible plates and the figure was dressed in all black head to toe. A/V was attempting to look over the video for any reflections that could be enhanced that would give them a face or anything to go off of.

"Horatio, you and Delko have been here this whole time. Having your whole team exhausted isn't going to help Duquesne. You know that."

Horatio glared at the supervisor before looking over at the scene. "We need to find her soon."

"She's a fighter."

……………..

TBC…


	7. Sleepless

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 7 "Sleepless"

**Author's Notes: **none

………………

Horatio carefully carried two cups of coffee to the layout room. He was going to check on Eric and knew they could both use caffeine. When he entered the layout room, he found Eric over a spread of crime scene photos. "Eric," he said and handed him the cup. He just wanted to get his attention. He knew that Eric was already blaming himself, there was no use talking about it, he knew that neither of them would feel at ease until Calleigh was back safe at the lab.

"How could this happen, Horatio?" Eric asked exhausted. He took a big drink of the hot coffee hoping it would help him see something to help find Calleigh.

"She fought, Eric," Horatio pointed out.

"Yeah, but how hurt is she?" Eric questioned. "She's got a head injury…she fell…and he hit her with his car…"

"I know," Horatio said.

"Head wounds bleed a lot, H. There was blood all over the parking garage."

Horatio's head fell, "I know."

"She's out there bleeding and waiting for us to find her…" Eric shook his head, "I should have been with her. We were supposed to go eat… God, she hasn't eaten…" More and more ran through Eric's head making him think more and more about Calleigh's current condition. His stomach knotted more and more as he thought about more things.

"We can't blame ourselves, Eric," Horatio told him. "We need to focus on the evidence and getting her back."

"The fingerprints we found on the vehicle were all Calleigh's."

"Wasn't there a palm print?"

Eric nodded, "A partial, but it was in an odd place, H. We found it under the opening of the driver's side door opening. The undercarriage of the car's already been checked. There's nothing there."

"Maybe that was plan B, Eric."

"So, even if I'd walked her to her car tonight, you're saying he would've waited and kidnapped her later?"

"It's certainly looking that way."

…………………

Dan Cooper let out a long drawn out yawn as he stretched his arms outwards and then extended his fingers. He'd been dragged out of bed when the other A/V tech had come up with nothing from the video. There was always something. You just had to look hard enough.

Horatio set a cup of coffee down on the table for the A/V tech, "What did you find, Mr. Cooper?"

"I was able to get a partial plate using different cars in the structure to get reflections from."

"I thought there wasn't a plate?"

"This car is a newer model; you know…they have the plates on the front and back."

"Alright."

"Boss, that car was down there for a long time. It was down there probably since the shift change." Dan brought up the reflection of the plate.

"Florida plates," Horatio quickly observed. "Who do they belong to?"

"I narrowed it down to an Alyssa Willers. Her car and plates matches our description," Dan told him. "Ring any bells?"

"No," Horatio said frowning. "Any criminal history?"

"No, but Willers is her married name."

"What's her maiden name?"

"Jostice."

"I believe we met her brother the other day. Thank you, Mr. Cooper."

"Hopefully it's enough to find Calleigh," Cooper said trying to be hopeful.

"Let's hope so."

………………..

TBC…


	8. Sanctuary

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 8 "Sanctuary"

**Author's Notes: **none

………………………

Norman Jostice was a simple man with an almost predictable routine. Everyday he got up and then worked from seven thirty in the morning up until three thirty in the afternoon. He'd go home, eat, and then add to his collage. His private obsession was something that he'd successfully hidden for over thirty years. Though, he had a collage at work, no one ever saw it since no one seemed to need to go into the backroom.

Today, though, was a special day. He had a toy, and he could take his time with it. He opened the red lit room and slowly, silently crept in. He knew she'd still be out. "Someone's had a tough day," he said sing songly. He'd repaired his toy. Cleaning the crimson, squeezing out the glue that would repair the damages, and then wrapping the damaged areas in bright white cloth.

His hand gently held her cheek before his thumb gently caressed it. It was soft, pale…and perfect. Though, the bruising that was making itself more and more apparent on the pale skin. He had hated to hurt his new toy, but it had been a necessity in it. He had to have it, though.

He had researched her. He'd learned her name and her history. He had learned everything he could about the new toy and what made her live and survive in such a cruel and intense world.

"Normally," he said as he leant down and gently placed his lips to his toy's temple, "I don't bring my toys home…to my place of sanctuary." His voice was, but a whisper as his lips left the pale skin.

……………………

The red was the first thing she took in as she stared at a small patched of wall. Her mind immediately logged it in as blood, but soon corrected it. It wasn't blood, but merely a red light bulb that blanketed the room in a red glow. She stared up at the light that was mounted above her. She stretched slightly and found a groan escaping her lips. She remembered the parking garage. She held up her hand and stared at the dark stains on it.

Blood.

Her blood.

She forced herself up and forced back the pain. She let out a slight hiss, but that was all that she allowed. She was met with a room of a three walled collage basked in a red glow. "Oh God," Calleigh whispered as her eyes flew wide.

Using the wall, she got up and forced her weight to her feet. Wincing as her weight hit the foot she remembered she had broken the heel of her shoe. Her ankle shouted out in pain and she quickly shifted her weight to the other foot and the wall itself. She could feel the bandages; he'd missed her scraped hands, however. The pain wasn't what concerned her, though, but rather the pictures on the walls.

All were blonde and beautiful. Young women with bright eyes and happy smiles. Calleigh quickly recognized a few. They were all in the morgue. "This isn't good," she mumbled and her eyes focused on freshly pasted pictures. They were all of her. Most of them were while she had been processing crime scenes, but a few were of her outside of the lab. Chills danced all over her as she continued to stare at the pictures.

She was the fourth victim.

Calleigh's cheeks dampened with her tears. She was in a strange place and injured. She wasn't armed and she could hear a door shut. Her head flew back to where the sound had emanated from. She could hear footsteps heading in her direction.

………………………

TBC…


	9. Lost Time

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 9 "Lost Time"

**Author's Notes: **none

………………………

It was getting brighter outside, and Horatio knew that too much time had ticked by. They needed to find her. He'd already seen Natalia along with his lab techs filter in. He was sure that they'd all be informed of the current situation by Eric and their nightshift counterparts. He turned his back to the lab and walked to his window. It was his portal to Miami; he only wished it could pinpoint Calleigh's location for him. The knock at his door was something he expected, but ignored just the same. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. He just wanted to find Calleigh.

Frank had waited as patiently as possible before going ahead and letting himself into Horatio's office. "They've got the sister of that creep Jostice down in the interrogation room."

"I know, Frank," Horatio said turning to see that Tripp was not alone. Jake Berkeley was by his side. "But I don't think she's going to tell us where Calleigh is…"

"So, what? You're just going to give up?" Jake challenged.

"No," Horatio told the eager young detective. "She may not tell us, but we know who he is, what he looks like, we have his prints, we have his DNA, and we have his address."

"His address is his sister's, but I can assure you he's not livin' there," Frank spoke up.

Berkeley didn't like how Horatio was playing the game. Calleigh had been working with the crime lab for some time, didn't he care about her? Calleigh always seemed to value Caine's input, praise, and leadership. Didn't he give a damn about Calleigh? Even a bit? So, Jake did something he knew no one would let him forget, but he knew he'd keep his job just the same. He closed in on Caine, pushed him up against the hard wall, and pulled him up by the man's collar. "You listen to me, Caine! If that bastard TOUCHES her, I'm holding you personally responsible!"

"We're going to find her, Mr. Berkeley," Horatio said looking straight into the younger man's eyes. His voice was soft and patient. He knew the man's frustrations. Jake Berkeley wasn't the only one who cared deeply for Calleigh Duquesne.

"That's enough," Frank spoke up a bit harshly. Fighting between them was doing them no good.

…………………….

Alyssa Willers was an average woman dressed in black slacks and a blue stripped button up blouse. She leaned back and her blonde hair fell down her back. She waited patiently, letting her blue eyes take in her surroundings. Her arms were folded neatly in her lap as she watched as an officer walked into the room. "It's about time; I need to pick my daughter up from daycare soon."

Tripp noticed that her words were not sharp; her voice was filled in merely fact. It sort of bothered him that she wasn't irritated. He could work better if she was irritated. "Do you know why you're here, Mrs. Willers?"

"Something about my car being used in a crime," she said simply. "I don't know how that's possible. My husband took it on a business trip. Of course, if it was stolen, then I can see how that could be possible."

"We'll look into gettin' in touch with your husband soon enough," Tripp told her. "When's the last time you had contact with your brother?"

"Norman?" she asked surprised. "I don't know… Years probably… He's sort of a loner… We were never close."

"Do you know where he's currently livin'?"

"No idea," Alyssa responded coolly. "For all I know, he's moved out of the state."

"Oh, he hasn't," Tripp assured. "In fact, we believe that he is in possession of your vehicle. We have video surveillance of him using your vehicle in order to not only abduct one of our CSIs, but hit her as well."

"I'm sure you're wrong. Norman's strange, but he's not a killer."

"Mrs. Willers, do you know that your brother uses your address as his permanent residence?"

"No," Alyssa told him with a frown before crossing her arms over her chest. "I've already told you that I haven't had any contact with my brother in years…"

"Mrs. Willers, I must inform you that if we find out that you've had anything to do with your brothers or any of the murders...we WILL prosecute you as an accomplice."

"Is that all? I need to pick my daughter up from daycare," Alyssa informed him as she stood up.

………………………

Tripp entered the observation room where Horatio had been observing from. "She seems straight…"

"But?"

"But," Frank spoke up figuring that he wasn't the only one seeing something odd with the picture, "There's something hinky with her."

"Since when does daycare end at nine in the morning?" Horatio asked.

"It doesn't," Frank said irritated that he'd missed that. He'd merely wanted information on Norman Jostice's whereabouts and a possible lead on Calleigh.

"She's running, Frank."

……………………..

TBC…


	10. Lifeline

**Title:** Stalked

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Taken from the previews for "Born to Kill". Since the episode was so disappointing given the misleading promo. Calleigh is targeted by a killer and Horatio and the others must race to save her.

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Drama, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt Comfort, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 10 "Lifeline"

**Author's Notes: **this is the final chapter of "Stalked", and as some may have seen the next set of stories will be started. Keep an eye on my CBS CSI: Miami wiki profile (shannyfish) for updates on story status along with new trailers. Currently four of the five upcoming stories have fanfiction trailers on youtube under my profile (shannyfish).

………………….

Calleigh had kept her distance from the door, hoping that knowing who she was dealing with would help her in escaping. She wasn't exactly at her top game, but she had to try something. The minute the door opened, Calleigh knew that she had been right. The man who had her was the one she'd picked out in the crowd. He'd been stalking crime scenes…and it appeared that he'd been stalking her as well. "What do you want?" Calleigh asked, trying to keep her voice even and calm. She kept her back against the wall with the collage, trying to keep her weight on her good foot.

"No talking," Norman said.

She noticed his voice wasn't sharp or violent. It was soft and patient. Calleigh felt her heart beating faster as he closed in on her. "Why are you doin' this?" she asked. She wanted to say that there was something wrong with him, that he could get help, but Calleigh was sure that he'd just get pissed off by that line of reasoning.

"I said NO TALKING."

Calleigh winced at the loudness of his voice, but prepared herself. As soon as he got close enough she grabbed his arms and quickly thrust her knee into his groin before pushing him against the wall and hobbling towards the door. She heard him, but didn't turn to look. She couldn't. She needed to stay focused. She reached out for the door, but found herself being thrown across the room. She hit the wall first and then the floor. She let out a groan and forced her eyes open. She stared across the room at him. He was just standing there. Her head was spinning, and Calleigh wondered if he knew that.

"I wanted to do this nicely…" Norman told her. "But if you're going to be bad…then I'll toss you just like I did the others…" He turned and opened the door, but before exiting he looked over his shoulder briefly, "I thought you were different."

When the door shut and she heard the lock slide into place, Calleigh wasn't sure whether to be relieved or freaked out. She could feel tears sliding down her cheeks, but didn't want them there. She closed her eyes tightly trying to cut them off. When she opened her eyes again, she cursed the red light. It wasn't the light itself, but the color… Red had many different meanings, but the one that Calleigh was most familiar with was blood…and murder. She didn't want to be linked in that way.

………………………

"Miami-Dade PD!"

"Mrs. Willers, I suggest you stop right there," Horatio informed her. His gun was drawn along with Frank, Jake, and small group of officers. Once she froze, Horatio approached her and saw the small child in the back seat along with the bags packed. "Where were you going?"

Alyssa's face flooded with tears, "Please…my daughter…"

"CPS will see to her," Frank informed her.

"Right now, I need to know where Norman is. I know you helped him, Mrs. Willers. Norman and you are not both right handed… You did the last murder for him…so that we'd release him…"

"Please, I was just trying to protect him. It's not his fault. The studies they did when we were kids messed him up! It's not his fault!" Alyssa tried to convince them. She watched as her daughter was being removed from the car by a police officer, it all seemed too surreal to her. Nothing seemed real.

"Where is he?" Horatio asked again.

Alyssa shook her head, "I don't know… He works for a one hour photo… It's on Meridian near that hospital in Miami Beach. That's all I know…I don't know if they know where he lives…"

Horatio believed her, but he wished she'd more to give. "Let's get a list of one hour photos in that area," Horatio called out. "They may have information on Jostice."

……………………..

Calleigh hadn't moved from her position on the floor when the door opened once again. Her head was killing her once again. It wasn't just the spinning or pain; it was fatigue pulling her towards the darkness she was so desperately avoiding. She had a feeling that it was all due to her head injury and that was nothing she could do about it. Being thrown across the room and hitting a wall and floor hadn't done anything for her condition. She just watched him through half closed eyes as he wandered towards her.

"I told you to be good," Norman told her. "Now you're being good," he said gently as he reached down to stroke her hair. He took in how soft it was to the touch and how nice it felt through his fingers. He smiled down at her, "We're going to go somewhere special…"

"Please…" Calleigh whispered as she continued to fight to stay awake.

Norman just smiled and put a finger to her lips. "Shhh…" He reached under her and carefully lifted her up. "I never take anyone to this place. You've probably been too busy to enjoy it." He watched as her eyelids slid shut as he carried her through his small apartment and he headed for his van.

The building was quiet, children weren't home from school yet, and almost everyone worked…which only made his transportation of Calleigh easier. He moved her in his arms, so that he could open his van. He got in through the back with her, keeping his head down as he turned and closed it. The back of the van had been stripped of everything. It was all metal, even the floor of it. He'd drilled holes in it making it easier to clean up messes. He laid her gently in the middle of the back before walking to the front and pulled the curtain, so that it covered the back of his van.

……………………..

"Norman Jostice work here?" Frank quickly demanded.

"Uh, yeah…" the teen responded. "He's sort of a creep."

"No kiddin'," Frank said irritated. "Do you have his address? Or a phone number?"

"Yeah, his number, but he'll never come down here this late… If something breaks, I just get to close up and go home early…"

Horatio took in the poster size pictures on the wall. They looked familiar, but Horatio couldn't place them. "Where is this?" Horatio finally spoke up, not taking his eyes from the pictures of the treed areas.

"Norman took those. He's like obsessed with that place."

"Where is it?" Frank demanded.

"That's Pine Tree Park," he answered. "He likes the spots with all the trees."

"Let's go," Horatio said sliding his sunglasses in place as they headed out of the one hour photo. He didn't have a good feeling.

………………..

He parked in a far parking spot; he didn't like to be boxed into spaces. He looked over the area first, going into the park and taking in how many people were there. It was vacant. Perfect. He noticed that there were boats in the water, but not many. He returned to his van and pulled out his toy. He knew the area. It was secluded and hidden behind the sports field's treed area near it and butted up against the neighbor's home down near the water. They wouldn't be seen.

Norman carried Calleigh into the covered park. He loved those trees. He smiled to himself as he neared the perfect spot.

…………………

Horatio picked up his radio in the Hummer, "Let's go in quietly," he broadcasted to the other vehicles. "We don't want to spook him." He was starting to worry that Jostice would kill Calleigh if he sensed he was in danger. He wasn't going to let that happen.

The cars pulled quietly into Pine Tree Park, fanning out at the entrance, so there was no way Jostice could escape with his vehicle. The police vehicles would also keep innocent residents out of the park for the time being. Horatio could see that the front of the van wasn't occupied and had a firm feeling that Jostice had already taken Calleigh into the park. He motioned for the van to be opened and when it was, Horatio finally saw why there wasn't much blood at some of the scenes.

"What are the holes for?" one of the officers asked.

"For quick clean-up," Frank responded.

"Calleigh's in the park," Jake said heading towards the grassy entrance.

Horatio kept up with the young detective, both of them with their weapons raised. "We need to take this quietly and swiftly."

"Look—"

"No, you LOOK, Mr. Berkeley," Horatio snapped keeping his voice low. "I won't have you go running in there and getting Calleigh killed.

Jake stared at Horatio for a moment before finally nodding. He'd do whatever it took to get Calleigh out of that park safely. "Alright, I'm with you," Jake said quietly. He still wasn't sure about Caine, but knew that he currently liked where the lieutenant's priorities were. That was all that really mattered at the moment.

Horatio and Jake went in one direction while Frank took the officers in another. The park wasn't gigantic, but it was a good sized one. Horatio stopped and set his hand on Jake when he heard a soft whimpering sound. He knew who it was and as sick as it made him, he knew that he had to take the situation in rationally and even-headedly. He couldn't let his emotions take reign over the situation.

He motioned for Jake to take the other side. He couldn't quite see what was going on, but he wanted to be prepared. He waited until he was sure Jake was on the other side before stepping towards where the whimpering was coming from. The scene scared him. Norman Jostice was hovering over with Calleigh, a knife in his hand. Horatio noticed the red.

Red…crimson…blood…

Calleigh's blood…

The whimpering was coming from Calleigh, there was no doubt. She was still alive. It looked like Norman had only stabbed her once; they could still stop him and save her. He saw Jake behind Jostice.

Snap.

Horatio wasn't sure where the sound came from, but he noticed that Jostice's eyes snapped up and locked with his. It was then that Horatio knew that Norman Jostice wasn't going to let them take Calleigh away…not alive at least.

"NO!" Norman yelled as he raised the knife up as he readied to bring it down on his toy. It was time to throw the toy away. It was time to be finished and done. Time to move on.

Jake grabbed Jostice, holding onto his raised arm, and pulled him away from Calleigh. The man could jerk around all he wanted for all Jake cared, just as long as he didn't hurt Calleigh any further. Jake dragged Jostice about a yard away from Calleigh's still body. He'd seen the blood as soon as he'd grabbed Jostice. She was still breathing, he knew that much because he'd heard her whimpering, she was in pain, but she was alive. That was what counted. He watched as Horatio dropped down and checked Calleigh.

Horatio covered her wound, putting pressure onto it, he knew it would hurt more, but he also needed the blood to clot. He knew she was already injured and he wasn't sure how much blood had already been lost. Jake looked like he had Jostice handled for the moment, so he pulled out his radio and pressed the button, "Frank! We've got Jostice! Calleigh's going to need immediate medical attention!"

((We're on our way.))

Horatio was about to pull out his cell phone to call for Rescue when he heard Jake grunt, he looked up to see Jostice thrust the bloodied knife into Jake's chest just as a gunshot rang out. Bodies falling, hurried pushing through bushes, and footfalls echoing off leaves on the ground surrounded Horatio as he remained there with his hand firmly placed on Calleigh's abdomen. His eyes looked from the two fallen men to Calleigh, whose eyes had opened, "Sweetheart," he spoke softly, "Hold your hand here," he instructed as he placed her hand where his had been. "Lay still." He moved over to Jake and Jostice, he separated them just as he heard Frank and his officers appearing behind him without even looking. The knife was still stuck in Jake's chest; the man's eyes were wide open as he gasped for air. He put his hand on Jake's chest, "We've got to leave it there," he instructed. "You'll bleed out otherwise." He heard Frank call out Jostice as dead and heard one of the officers calling into dispatch that they had officers down and to send Rescue. "Hold on, brother," Horatio told Jake.

"Cal—"

"Shhh," Horatio hushed, "Calleigh's going to be just fine. He only stabbed her once. She's not losing too much blood," Horatio told Jake. "Hold on, Rescue's on it's way."

Jake's head rolled to the side as he stared at Calleigh, he could see her chest rising and falling. She was breathing. She was alive. Jake's lungs forced out a painful cough. He could barely breathe and the cough had made it feel like his lungs were closing on him.

"Stay with me," Horatio told Jake when he saw the blood. He stared at Jake, watching him watch Calleigh. He knew that it didn't look good. He could already hear the sirens, though. When there was an officer involved incident, Rescue always responded quickly. It was like there were no other vehicles in the city. "Frank! Make sure they know where we are!" Horatio called out turning his head and saw that Frank was already instructing his officers to show the Rescue team where they were in the park. When Horatio turned back to Jake, he noticed that there was lifelessness in his eyes. He focused on where his hand was on his chest, it wasn't moving. It was too late. He waited though, until he heard it from the EMT. He needed to. But when he heard the words, it didn't make it any easier.

Horatio moved his attention to Calleigh. The EMTs had already put her onto a gurney and were securing her and getting her ready to transport. He wasn't sure how hard it was going to be on her, or how he was going to tell her. She wasn't lucid and even if she was, he doubted he'd tell her in her condition. He walked alongside the gurney as it was moved through the park.

"H! H! How's Calleigh?!" Eric called from the front of the scene. He stopped when he saw Calleigh on the gurney.

"She's going to be fine, Eric," Horatio explained stopping there with Eric.

"They're saying there was an officer killed," Eric explained, he'd thought it was Calleigh and hadn't been able to get an ID of the deceased person over the phone or radio.

"There was," Horatio said sadly. "Jake Berkeley."

"Berkeley?" Eric repeated in disbelief, he wanted to know how, but stayed quiet. He'd never thought highly of the man, but it was wrong to speak ill of the dead.

"He kept Jostice from further injuring Calleigh…possibly killing her," Horatio explained.

Eric nodded, "He's a hero."

"He is."

……………………

She'd been released from the hospital and been informed of Jake's death. Calleigh had visited his body in the morgue with Alexx; she just needed to see him. At least with Alexx she felt like she could break down and cry. And she did. Jake's parents had asked her to collect his personal effects from the police department. They'd told her that they could go through things together and she could keep some of his things if she wanted.

As she finished cleaning out his locker, she stopped and stared at a box. It felt odd. The weight wasn't distributed correctly for such a small box. She started to lift the lid when she heard the door open. Her eyes flew up and she relaxed a bit when she saw Horatio.

"How are you doing?" Horatio asked gently.

"I'm startin' to think I'm goin' have to stop datin'," she whispered trying to keep the air light. "All the men I date seem to end up dead because of me."

"Calleigh—"

"I told Jake's parents I'd get his things…" she said as she lifted the lid on the box and just stared at the contents. "Oh my God…"

"His parents don't need to know, Calleigh."

Calleigh looked up at Horatio, "Please…Horatio. I don't want him to be remembered as a dirty cop," Calleigh pleaded. "I'd hate to have him die a hero, but be remembered as something entirely different."

Horatio lifted the baggies from the box, "I'll take care of these."

"What are you goin' do?" Calleigh asked concerned.

"Flush them."

She gave him a relieved smile, "Thank you."

………………..

Calleigh stood silently, feeling like she was holding everything inside, between Horatio and Eric. They both had been there for her since she'd awoken in the hospital and had explained things. She and Jake had been dating, but the loss of him was much more than she'd expected. It felt like déjà vu. It felt like it was too soon that they'd lost another officer. Sure, it'd been three years, but it seemed like it really hadn't been that long. She felt like she'd been to far too many funerals. Tim Speedle, John Hagen, and now Jake Berkeley. She finally let out a breath she'd been holding and tried to hold back the tears, but found that they had their own ideas. They flooded her face and she let her face fall to her chest.

She'd already talked to Jake's parents before the funeral and wasn't sure she could make it through the rest. Calleigh could feel Horatio's hand in hers squeezing hers and when she looked over she could see concern all over his face. He wanted to know if she'd be okay…but she even didn't know. She heard the priest call an end to the prayer and announced that people could start saying their goodbyes. Calleigh looked over at Horatio again, "I can't," she whispered.

"You've already said goodbye?" Horatio asked quietly not wanting her to regret her last chance to do so. But when she nodded, he looked over at Eric, who was already paying attention to the conversation. He put an arm around her and led her in the opposite direction of the coffin.

"He's with God now, Calleigh," Eric reminded.

"I know," she whispered.

"He was a hero," Horatio told her.

Calleigh nodded and wrapped her arm around Horatio before laying her head on his shoulder. "He really was."

…………………….

The End.


End file.
